Automobile-tire.



J. E. KNAUSS C. PHINNEY AUTOMOBILE TIRE.

Arruouron Hun Nov. 1, 1910.

1,015,690. Patented Jan. 23,1912.

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JAMES E. KNAUSS AND CHARLES PHINNEY, 0F HBALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE-TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

Application tiled November 7, 1910. Serial No. 590,988.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JAMES F. KNAuss and Guantes PHINNEY, both citizens of the United States. residing art-.Healdsburg iu the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented new Aand useful Improvements in Antoniobile-Tires, of which the following is a specification. .()ur invention relates to automobile tires and particularly to resilient tires.

The object of this invention is to provide a resilient tire having a metallic tread and rim built up of sections, and which is'movahlevielat'ive the felly of the wheel; and to provide resilient members for normally sustainingthe rim and tire when under pressare and allowing a. cushion-like action be tween said members when the tire is Subjected to uneven resistances and when the wheel connected to the felly is subjected to an independent motion; and to provide a tire structure having a metallic tread so designed and constructed as to eliminate as far as possible the skidding of thewheel andto deaden the noise of the metallic contact with the road surface.

The invention consists of the parts and construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed having reference to the accompanying drawings. in which- Figure l is n .side elevation of the wheel broken a wa)V in parts. Fig. 2 is a trimsverse sect ion ari-ws the tire and telly. Fig.

3 is a plan vir of a fragment of the tire.

l'n the illustrated embodiment of our invention we employ a continuous annular telly memher il, to which may be. connected in any suitable manner the spokes of the. wheel. )nc side of the telly Q is provided with an annular tlange 3 of apln'opriate height which may be integrally formed therewith, or attached thereto in any appropriate manner. 0n the opposite side of the telly 2 is secured a sectional, removable flat ring or flange 4, here shown as being composed of two similarsections bolted as at at numerous regular points to the felly of the wheel, Between the two flanges 3 and 4 is thus formed an annular space, preterably ha vingr a concaved bottom formed by tln` exterior perimeter of the folly 2, and at frequent intervals this perimeter is suitably` recessed by concentric circular grooves C, into which are adapted to seat a plurality "of radially disposed resilient members 7 and 8, here shown as comprising concentric helical springs, the larger of which as 7 sur rounds the inner smaller springs 8, and cach are prevented against transverse motion by theirseats 6. The purpose of these several springs is to support in a normally concentric relation to the felly 2 a suitabl y formed tloata-bleA rim 9 of substantially arched shaped cross-section, the inwardlyextending Ranges 10 of which are. grooved on their outer surfaces as at ll, to receive a. suitable packing strip, as an asbestos, or

other cord 12, which bears upon the parallel annular fianges 3 and 4. The relative extreme diameter' of the felly 2 and the diameter of the inner edge of the flange 1t) is suoli as to allow a reasonable amount of independent motion between these two members, due to the variations of resistance. and pressure on the parts. The packing cord 1Q serves the purpose of preventing the entrance of dust', water or other foreign mat.- ter from having access to the spring containing chamber between the rim and the folly, and in order to constantly keep these members lubricated, we fill or partly fill the chamber with graphite or other suitable substance as at 13.

For the purpose of preventing an excessive relative motion between the telly and the rim `members` at suitable intervals around the flange 10 are secured or formed a number of small projections 14 of length sufficient to normally bottom in circular recesses or depressions 15 formed on the inner surface of the sectional flange L VIn the event of undue motion between 'these mem bers or lugs 14 they will positively engage the circular wall of the depression 15, and prevent further motion in the. direction of the cireiuuference. Tue differential springs 7 and 8 are. further insured against transversc dislocation or movement 'by means of a suitable securing device as rods 1G passed transversely hrough the felly of the wheel and through the lower coils of the several springs 7 and 8. The manifest purpose of making these springs of diti'erent sizes and diiTerent gage'luaterial, is to afford a diil'erential act-ion between them whereby heavier spring is made etfective when the tire is subjected to heavy loads.

In order to 'facilitate the removing of the tire, the rim portion 9 may be made in a plurality of sections, in this instance shown as being two in number, and upon its external periphery is secured a number of detachable curved plates 1T, forming remov able and renewable treads adapted for ground running and which are secured upon the tire section 9 by means of appropriate bolts or screws 18. The tread sections 1T may be formed with or have appropriately secured upon their operative surface a number of grousers or rib' 19, angularly disposed and having their inner ends out so as to be parallel to the axis of rotation.

The exterior central portion of' the tire Q is concaved as at 20, and in the chamber formed between this eoncavcd surface and the treads 17 may be inserted graphite Ior other suitable material for the purpose of deadening the sound generated by the contact of the metallic tread 17 on the roadway, and to form a-so't bearing for the tread sections. l

Suitable reinforcing devices as angular lugs or clips 21 may be fastened against the flan e sect-ions 4 by bolts 22 passing through the ugs, fand screwing into the body of the fetly.,` Yhen the tire is subjected to heavy transversestrains as in skidding or turning corners, theanges will be reinforced and supportedby the outwardly extending portion Aof the toe braces.

' It s een that by this construction and withal degree of com pression. the normal Weiglitbfvgfthe car and load will be sustained by O nesetfof the springs acting radiallytorrdfthecenter, from every directionialid imyadditional compression such as.` will be caused by the movement of the car-over 4irregular surfaces, will be resisted by e-,su plemental springs which will then .add t eir elastic force to that of thc 40 depressed circular-chambers 15, in the sides main sprin The lugs 14 movable in the of the flanges serve to resist thrusting strains, while allowing free movements between the outerrim and felly in planes transverse to the axis.

Having thus described; our invention,

i' what we claim and desire to secure by Letcomprising transversely extending bars passing through opposite ends of said resilient members.

Q. A tire. and annular felly, having an integral outwardly turned flange upon one side and a corresponding removable flange upon the opposite side, a rim and tread member having parallel, inwardly extending,

flanges substantially fitting between the felly flanges and having annular grooves or channels with packing rings forming joints between thc folly flanges and the rim flanges, wherebyv the interior chamber is adapted to contain a plastic filling compound, resilient springs of diil'erent tension with means for securing their ends respectively to the exterior of the felly memberand the interior of the rim member, and securin means comprising transversely extending ars passing through opposite ends of the resilient members.

A tire comprising a continuous, annular telly, having outwardly extending parallel flanges, one of which is integral with the fell ,v and the other removable, reinforcements for the removable flange comprising radially disposed ribs having the outer ends contacting with the outer periphery of the flange and the inner ends fianged and bolted to the telly edge, atrcad member compris. ing` an arched rim with an annular, concaved peripheral channel, parallel flanges extending inwardly from the felly, the flanges having packing rings to form joints therewith, a resilient support between the folly and said rim, and fillings of plastic material between the tread member and the llln.

4. The combination in a wheel, of a continuous annular felly, outwardly extending flanges upon opposite sides of the felly, a sectional concave rim fitting between said flanges, resilient members and means by which they are fixed and supported between the rim and felly, a tread upon the rim, flexible packing rings between the rim and felly flanges, depressed chambers in the elly flanges, and lugs projecting from the rim into said chambers.

In testimony whereof we have' hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

JAMF'S E. KNAUSS.

CHA LES BHINNEY. lVitnesses i lV. J. h-CCLnNnoN, F. R. Halen. 

